Recycling and Reclamation Workers Salary in WA

In the 2025 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS dataset, Recycling and Reclamation Workers in WA have a median annual salary of $46,190, with 49,450 recorded jobs in this area. Recorded earnings range from $37,350 at the 10th percentile to $60,280 at the 90th percentile.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · Data year: 2025 · Last updated: 2026-09-22

Salary overview

Median annual salary

$46,190

Data year: 2025

Hourly median

$22.21

Employment

49,450

Source

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS

Salary distribution

$37,350
10th
$40,300
25th
$46,190
Median
$51,230
75th
$60,280
90th

Local compared with national

WA

$46,190

Median annual · 2025

United States

$40,240

Median annual · 2025

The WA median is 14.8% above the national median in the available dataset (a difference of $5,950).

Top skills

  1. 1.Operation and ControlImportance 3.3
  2. 2.Active ListeningImportance 3.1
  3. 3.MonitoringImportance 3.1
  4. 4.Operations MonitoringImportance 3.1
  5. 5.SpeakingImportance 2.8
  6. 6.Critical ThinkingImportance 2.8
  7. 7.Quality Control AnalysisImportance 2.8
  8. 8.Reading ComprehensionImportance 2.6
  9. 9.Social PerceptivenessImportance 2.6
  10. 10.CoordinationImportance 2.6
  11. 11.Judgment and Decision MakingImportance 2.6
  12. 12.Time ManagementImportance 2.6

Career information

Education and experience

Typical education
High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
Experience
Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year
Job zone
2

Technology used

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Word
  • Work scheduling software

Common tasks

  • Sort materials, such as metals, glass, wood, paper or plastics, into appropriate containers for recycling.
  • Clean recycling yard by sweeping, raking, picking up broken glass and loose paper debris, or moving barrels and bins.
  • Operate forklifts, pallet jacks, power lifts, or front-end loaders to load bales, bundles, or other heavy items onto trucks for shipping to smelters or other recycled materials processing facilities.
  • Sort metals to separate high-grade metals, such as copper, brass, and aluminum, for recycling.
  • Clean, inspect, or lubricate recyclable collection equipment or perform routine maintenance or minor repairs on recycling equipment, such as star gears, finger sorters, destoners, belts, and grinders.
  • Collect and sort recyclable construction materials, such as concrete, drywall, plastics, or wood, into containers.
  • Extract chemicals from discarded appliances, such as air conditioners or refrigerators, using specialized machinery, such as refrigerant recovery equipment.
  • Deposit recoverable materials into chutes or place materials on conveyor belts.
  • Operate balers to compress recyclable materials into bundles or bales.
  • Clean materials, such as metals, according to recycling requirements.

Related careers

Occupations recorded as related in the dataset. A relationship does not imply a guaranteed transition.

Recycling and Reclamation Workers salary in other locations

Other occupations in WA